The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire is composed of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other type of materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
As the air pressure inside the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The pressure of the air within the tire provides resistance against forces which try to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you understand how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Pneumatic tires also come with disadvantages. Highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations for example, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a serious car crash. Military planners have to take into consideration tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped within a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these type of issues and therefore, can be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire might have issues as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure in a tire could increase the traction and the comfort level. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Thus, reduced air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this leads to poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Customers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires that have incorrect air pressure could result in unsafe situations. It is vital to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is essential to consider the kind of settings you would be needing your machine to function in so that you can frequently check the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.